Читать книгу The Science Fiction Anthology онлайн

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“How does it look?” Sorensen asked.

“It’s OK,” Drake said, gently lifting out the metals detector. “Heavily greased. Doesn’t seem like there was any damage—”

He jumped back. The skipper had come forward and stamped down heavily on the sand.

“What’s the matter?” Sorensen asked.

“Looked like a scorpion,” the skipper said. “Damned thing crawled right out of your crate there. Might have bit you.”

Sorensen shrugged. He had gotten used to the presence of an infinite number of insects during his three months on Vuanu. Another bug more or less didn’t seem to make much difference.

“Another drink?” he asked.

“Can’t do it,” the skipper said regretfully. “I’d better get started. All your party healthy?”

“All healthy so far,” Sorensen said. He smiled. “Except for some bad cases of gold fever.”

“You’ll never find gold in this place,” the skipper said seriously. “I’ll look in on you in about six months. Good luck.”

After shaking hands, the skipper went down to the beach and boarded his ship. As the first pink flush of sunset touched the sky, the schooner was under way. Sorensen and Drake watched it negotiate the pass. For a few minutes its masts were visible above the reef. Then they had dipped below the horizon.